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REFRIGERATION SYSTEM & SERVICE
NOTICE:
Instructions given here are furnished as a guide. Persons attempting to use these instructions to make
repairs to the sealed refrigeration system should have a working knowledge of refrigeration, previous training on
sealed system repair, and an EPA certification for servicing refrigeration systems.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Effective July 1, 1992, the United States clean air act governs the disposal of refrigerants such as
R-22. Therefore, when discharging or purging the sealed system, use an EPA approved refrigerant
recovery system as outlined in the final rule on the protection of stratospheric ozone and refrigerant
recycling which was published in the Federal Register May 14, 1993.
NOTE:
Frigidaire does not permit the use of recovered refrigerant in the servicing of our products for in-warranty
and out-of-warranty repairs or for products covered by service contracts. Therefore, only new refrigerant or
refrigerant that has been reclaimed back to new specifications by a refrigerant manufacturer is to be used.
DEFINITIONS
Recovery:
to remove refrigerant in any condition from a system and
store it in an external container without necessarily
testing or processing it in any way.
Recycling:
to clean refrigerant for reuse by oil separation and single
or multiple passes through devices, such as replaceable
core filter-driers, which reduce moisture, acidity and
particulate matter. This term usually applies to proce-
dures implemented at the field job site or at a local
service shop.
Reclaim:
to reprocess refrigerant to new product specifications by
means which may include distillation. Will require chemi-
cal analysis of the refrigerant to determine that appropri-
ate product specifications are met. This term usually
implies the use of processes or procedures available
only at a reprocessing or manufacturing facility.
SAFETY WARNINGS
Compressor Testing
Whenever testing a compressor, extreme caution should
be used to prevent damaging the terminals. A compres-
sor with a damaged terminal or a grounded winding can
expel a terminal from its insulated housing when the
compressor is energized. If this happens, a mixture of
refrigerant and oil will be released that could be ignited
by an external heat source (open flame, heater, etc.).
Also, if there is air in the system when this happens, a
spark at the compressor shell could ignite the refrigerant
and oil mixture.
Charging Sealed Systems
Overcharging a refrigeration system with refrigerant can
be dangerous. If the overcharge is sufficient to immerse
the major parts of the motor and compressor in liquid
refrigerant, a situation has been created which, when
followed by a sequence of circumstances, can lead to
the compressor shell seam separating.
A hydraulic block then occurs, preventing the compres-
sor from starting. This condition is known as locked
rotor. Electric current continues to flow through the
compressor motor windings which become, in effect,
electric resistance heaters. The heat produced begins
to vaporize the excess refrigerant liquid, causing a rapid
increase in system pressure. If the compressor
protective devices fail, the pressure within the system
may rise to extremes far in excess of the design limits.
Under these conditions, the weld seam around the
compressor shell can separate with explosive force,
spewing oil and refrigerant vapor which could ignite.
To eliminate this exceedingly rare but potential hazard,
never add refrigerant to a sealed system. If refrigerant
is required, evacuate the existing charge and recharge
with the correct measured amount of the refrigerant
specified for the system.
SOLDERING
WARNING: WEAR APPROVED SAFETY
GLASSES WHEN WORKING WITH OR ON
ANY PRESSURIZED SYSTEM OR
EQUIPMENT. HAVE AN APPROVED DRY TYPE
FIRE EXTINGUISHER HANDY WHEN USING
ANY TYPE OF GAS OPERATED TORCH.
1. All joints to be soldered must have proper fit.
Clearance between tubes to be soldered should be
from .001 to .006. It is not practical to actually
measure this; however, you do not want dry fit or
loose fit. Tubing joints should overlap about distance
of their diameter except for restrictor tubes, which
should be inserted 1.25
2. Clean all joint areas with fine steel wool or,
preferably, abrasive cloth, such as grit cloth No.
23 or Scotch-Brite.
